


The Artistry of Botany

by Pameluke



Category: The Lady's Guide to Celestial Mechanics - Olivia Waite
Genre: F/F, Settling In Together, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-25
Updated: 2019-12-25
Packaged: 2021-02-26 19:53:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,361
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21824200
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pameluke/pseuds/Pameluke
Summary: One late afternoon, Lucy undertakes Botany, while Catherine muses on their new arrangement.
Relationships: Lucy Muchelney/Catherine St. Day
Comments: 11
Kudos: 29
Collections: Yuletide 2019





	The Artistry of Botany

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Missy](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Missy/gifts).



Catherine no longer waited with bated breath in front of the closed library doors. Not all habits wrought by the long years spent with her former husband had withered by now, but this one, at least, had. These past months with Lucy living here had changed the library into a warm and welcoming place. Catherine felt at home here now, had a place here. No longer was she an intruder in her own home.

So, no longer afraid of a long-gone husband's ire, Catherine opened the heavy library doors, the maid following her inside carrying a tea-tray. Lucy was not to be found in her usual armchair, however. Instead, she was leaning forward in her chair, bent over the desk, nose almost pressed against the papers spread out on the surface. There was a smear of green on her cheek, and her hair had come loose from her braid, framing her face, which was frowned in concentration.

Lucy didn't notice Catherine or the maid, focused as she was on her work, until the clattering of the tea service finally caught her attention. The maid excused herself with a soft murmur. 

“I brought you something warm to drink,” Catherine said, charmed almost despite herself when Lucy’s whole face lighted up upon seeing her. Day by day, it became harder to hide her emotions behind propriety and custom. She didn't necessarily want to anymore, but old habits died hard. They did weather, though, slowly eroded by Lucy's warmth and steadfast love.

"Oh, thank you!" Lucy said, a blush rising in her cheeks. "Did I lose track of time again?" She straightened the shawl around her shoulders, fingers following the embroidered pattern in a now-familiar gesture.

Catherine shook her head. It was true that Lucy lost track of time more often than not, her mind often lost in mathematical calculations or other scientific reading. But part of the charm of the life they were building together was that there was no one left to complain, no one to yell at them for keeping irregular hours. It was just _them_.

It was wonderful, and it still sent a thrill through Catherine's body, even after these past few months. "We both did, but it's fine. We can just have a late supper."

Lucy sat up straight, lifting her arms up above her head, stretching her back. The look on her face was blissful, and Catherine's eyes slipped down to Lucy's neckline. Lucy caught her gaze, smirking a little devilishly, making Catherine blush.

"What were you working on?" she asked, trying to distract Lucy.

Lucy's face lit up with that well-known light of Scientific Enthusiasm, the familiar dimple appearing next to her mouth while she stood up. It made the green paint on her cheeks suddenly stand out more. "It's Miss Haventhorpe's work, the botanist. I mentioned your work in a previous letter and sent one of the printed sketches. She was very enthusiastic about their merits for teaching. We started talking about how difficult it can be for a woman to find the right and proper tutors, and the next thing I know, she's sent me some instructional drawings. See?" Lucy points at the papers scattered about the desk, moving closer to Catherine as she talks. "They're pages to color in with paint. Look, here Miss Haventhorpe has described the exact coloring of all the parts of the plant and has written instructions on how to properly paint in the sketch to be a most lifelike and scientific reproduction of the plant. If the instructions are clear enough, every Lady and woman with the proper interest and motivation would be able to learn the basics of botany in this way."

Now the paints littering the desk made sense.

Lucy's eyes were gleaming with excitement and enthusiasm about this new endeavor to increase the Education of her fellow Lady scientists. "Look, Catherine, even I can do it, and I'm far from an artist like you." Lucy pointed at the sketches, one of them half painted.

Catherine smiled, and she could feel a blush rise in her cheeks at being called an artist so casually. Lucy never hid her admiration and conviction that Catherine was a true artist, and Catherine felt more like one each day — the art was in the doing, after all. Still, sometimes Lucy's compliments caught her off guard. "I didn't know you had an interest in Botany," Catherine said, deflecting. 

In truth, when she first had proposed the plan to start a fund to publish women scientists, a part of Catherine had believed the brunt of the more practical work would fall on her own shoulders while Lucy would be lost to Science and the mysteries of the Universe.

Nothing could have been further from the truth. Lucy had taken to their joint publishing endeavor like she'd taken to Oberon's translation, with fervor and the utmost dedication. They were truly doing this _together_ , even more than in Catherine's wildest, most private dreams.

"Not exactly an interest," Lucy said, interrupting Catherine’s thoughts. "Which makes me precisely the prime subject for this test! There's no use in putting out a collection of coloring pages if they don't suffice as a teaching technique. But I think it works rather well. I've been able to discern several plant parts I wouldn't have before going through her teachings. It's almost relaxing in a way even, to put one's mind to a task this far removed from its usual pursuits... My head feels so clear."

As always, Catherine was weak against Lucy's exuberance, her smile growing at every word spilling from Lucy's mouth. Catherine moved forward, tracing a finger over the faint trace of paint adorning Lucy's cheekbone. "Your enthusiasm is apparent," Catherine said softly.

Lucy reached for her cheek to dab at the paint, but Catherine caught her hand to press it against her own cheek. "Seeing you so happy... it fills my heart with joy," Catherine said. 

Lucy smiled and pulled Catherine's head down for a kiss. It started soft and tender, a press of lips against lips, breath ghosting over a slightly parted mouth. Then, a small gasp escaped Lucy's lips, and Catherine lost her hold on propriety. One hand skated down Lucy's back to pull her closer, while the other cupped Lucy's neck tenderly. As was her wont, Lucy buried her hands in Catherine's hair, as if to make sure Catherine would remain where she was.

As if Catherine ever could leave.

Kissing Lucy's mouth was a never-ending marvel, a thorough mapping of taste and touch, of tongues licking and exploring in a give and take that forever made Catherine dizzy. 

In this, their roles were reversed. In matters of love, Lucy was the artist, painting pictures on Catherine's skin with her fingers, writing sonnets with her soft pants and moans. In matters of love, it was Catherine who was the scientist, mapping every sweet spot, learning the topography of Lucy's body, studying the intricacies of her pleasure. And like a true scientist, she burned with the need to check and double-check all her findings, to make sure that Lucy was satisfied and well-loved.

With another gasp, Lucy stepped back, her hair mussed as well as her dress, her lips swollen and pink. "We'll be late for supper," she objected. 

Catherine sighed. "Supper will be late anyway." There was no one here to judge them since the servants knew and respected their privacy, but today, it seemed it was Lucy who had forgotten their new reality.

Lucy grinned in a very unladylike way.. Slowly, she raised her hand to stroke at Catherine's cheek. "I did get paint everywhere, it seems, so it would probably be better if we cleaned up and made ourselves presentable."

It was clear that Lucy had more undressing in mind than dressing up.

"So it would seem," Catherine agreed. Taking Lucy's hand in her own, she led her to the doors and up to the second floor to their bedchamber, leaving the tea to turn cold.

They made their own rules now, and while suppers may be late, they should still be presentable for them. Catherine would make sure of that. After.

  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> When I learned that the botany coloring pages were [a real thing](https://mymodernmet.com/vintage-adult-coloring-book-pages/), I simply had to write Lucy and Catherine working with them. Because who's to say women didn't print and color these as well?
> 
> All the gratitude to my beta <3


End file.
